Clothes folder



E. MEYER CLOTHES FOLDER Dec. 12, 1933.

Filed May 28, 1951 Gr mm;

Patented Dec. 12, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CLOTHES FOLDER Edward Meyer, Milwaukee, Wis. Application May 28, 1931. Serial No. 540,687 3 Claims. (Cl. 223-49) My invention relates to an improvement in clothes folders.

The object of my invention is to provide a folder for dresses or similarly shaped garments I which are desired to be packed in an ordinary suitcase or Gladstone bag. Another object of my invention is to provide a folder which will not only keep the clothing supported thereon in neat and unwrinkled condition laterally, but will also put sufficient stress upon the garments in their longitudinal extent without the provision of clamping members so that in the operation of my device wrinkles will not be formed crosswise or lengthwise of the garments.

In the drawing: Figure 1 is a perspective of my clothes folder laid out opened and flat.

Figure 2 shows my clothes folder with garments placed in readiness for the closing operation sition shown in dotted lines. I

Like parts are identified by the same characters throughout the several views.

My folder includes three major portions which may be referred to as bracket members 10 and 11 respectively, and a pintle 12.

The bracket members 10 and 11 are identical, and are formed of strap metal or other suitable material rectilinear in cross section, folded and bentv as indicated clearly in Fig. 1. Each of the brackets is therefore a substantially square U-shaped device including legs 13 and 14, and a cross member 15 which is inset from the ends of legs 13 and 14 by a reverse fold at 16 and 17, thus providing at these points tips which prevent garments from sliding off of the cross member 15.

At 18 and 19 it will be noted that the legs are offset in the direction of the larger cross sectional dimension of the material of which the brackets are formed, and near the ends 20 and 21, which may be referred to as the open ends of the brackets, apertures are provided for the reception of the pintle 12 which, when in place,- comprises a 5 pivot pin upon which the brackets are mounted for articulate or hinge movement.

When my folder is to be used, the garments to be placed thereon are laid out full length in a neatly folded pile of a width approximately equal to the length of the member 15. The folder is then opened to its full extent and laid approximately centrally of the length of the pile of garments which are shown somewhat diagrammat ically at 22 in Fig. 2. I say approximately cen- 5 trally because it is preferable that one end of which places themembers of the folder in the pothe folded pile of garments shall, when folded about the member 15 as indicated at 23, extend toward and under the pintle 12 so that the loose ends 24 of the garments will be held down by the pintle. The ends 25 of the garments need not extend beyond the pintle 12 when folded at 26.

After the garments have been arranged as described above, the folder may be hingedly folded upon the pintle 12 to the position shown in dotted lines at 27, and it will be found that in folding my device as described, the garments have been stretched to a slight degree and that the loose ends of the garments have been bound by the pintle and by the respective parts of the folder so as to prevent the garments from becoming wrinkled, and the package formed in this manner will be found to be readily receivable in a suitcase or other traveling bag.

It will be clear from the above description that the offset at 18 and 19 so offsets the pintle from the general plane in which the bracket members normally lie when they are in open position, as to provide for the stretching action, and that the folding of the loose ends 24 under the pintle assists in the stretching action, since otherwise the go offset would be substantially ineffectual.

I claim:

1. A clothes folder including a pintle, and a plurality of U-shaped armed bracket members 7 extending from the pintle, each arm of each 5 bracket being curved adjacent the pintle, and having a portion folded upon itself for a distance remote from said pintle.

2. A clothes folder including square U-sliaped brackets comprising strap material rectilinear in cross section and folded upon itself in its narrower dimension to inset the closed leg of the U, the side members of each U-shaped bracket being offset in the wide dimension of. the material thereof, and a pintle establishing a pivotal connection between the brackets.

3. A clothes folder including square U-shaped brackets comprising strap material rectilinear in cross section and folded upon itself in its nar-' rower dimension to inset the closed leg of the U, the side members of each U-shaped bracket being offset in the wide dimension of the material thereof, and a pintle establishing a pivotal connection between the brackets, the tips of the legs of the brackets being lapped and mated, whereby to provide for a single pintle to interconnect a plurality of brackets.

EDWARD MEYER. 

